


Visitation

by Arkanna



Category: Xiaolin Showdown (Cartoon)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-23 16:36:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10723137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkanna/pseuds/Arkanna
Summary: A ghost from the past reveals a path to the future.





	Visitation

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Xiaolin Showdown or any of its characters. Only 'tsune is mine.

The room was pitch black. Jack woke with a start, the feeling of fingers gently carding through his hair slowly surfacing through his sleep fogged senses. With a whimper, he slowly reached for the flashlight he always kept under his pillow. A quick flick and light flooded the room. He glanced to his left as he panned the light around and let loose a high pitched shriek, scrambling to the opposite side. Someone was sitting on the edge of his bed.

Ice blue eyes gazed at him fondly framed by the purest platinum hair he had ever seen. The only color on it's face was a pale blush of peach on full lips, her skin even whiter than his own. But no, not white, translucent, he realized, when she stood and the light passed through her. She wore a white yukata embroidered in white. Dragons, tigers and at least one phoenix adorned the fabric as far as he could see.

“It is time, go to him,” she said with a gentle smile.

Jack shivered, she was a ghost, he realized, suddenly wracked with fear. Wuya was one thing but this . . .

“Who?” he asked, in a voice much higher than normal.

She seemed to pause a moment, “ I suppose he goes by the name of Chase these days.”

“Chase? Why?”

“It is time, little one. The timelines have been restored and he is now aware of your true potential.”

“I'm nothing but a worm, an insect to him . . . a failure.”

She smiled softly, “that is true, now, but he will remember. It will just take him . . . time to come to terms with things.”

“Remember?”

“Yes,” she chuckled, “that was no dream, you did take over the world. That was a reality, one of many potential outcomes of Omi's tampering.”

It took Jack a moment to process what she said, “that . . that wasn't a dream?!” he squeaked.

“No little one, it was not,” the gleeful smirk she turned on him looked wicked, “everything you remember happened—EVERYTHING.”

Jack let out a high pitched whine remembering what he had done to Chase, but she only laughed.

“I'm so dead!” he whispered in absolute terror.

“No, little one,” she said standing, “while he remembers, he will not act on his instincts.”

She turned to him and regarded him carefully.

“You are a terrible liar Jack Spicer, but if anyone speaks of the alternate timeline, say nothing. Give them a curious look, but do not speak of it. You will know when the time is right.”

Jack thought a moment, “but he'll just throw me out.”

She was starting to fade, “be diligent and loyal. Do not give up Jack Spicer. Though he may discard you a thousand times, your patience will be rewarded.”

“How do you know?!!” he demanded thinking of all the hurt he had ever received at the warlord's hand.

“I was part of his . . . retinue once. I doubt he remembers. What is the life of a mortal to one who has lived for centuries? Nothing more than a grain of sand upon the beach, indistinguishable from all the others.”

“Who are you?” he thought to ask just before she vanished all together.

“Me? I suppose I had a name once . . . “

His flashlight suddenly flickered and went dead plunging the room into darkness once more.

_'tsune_ drifted through his mind. _He always called me 'tsune._

 

Jack suddenly sat straight up in bed gasping for air. The sun was just rising and he flopped back onto his bed. It was much too early to be up.

His mind raced. Many thoughts, jumbled and wandering, memories piling up against his consciousnesses, everything pressed against his skull demanding his attention. He shook his head trying to make sense of it all when a blaring noise filled the room. Everything suddenly came into sharp focus and he sighed rising. A new Shen Gong Wu had become active. He was determined that he would not loose—this time.

 

\-------------

 

A year and a half of dogged determination and patience and still Chase paid him little mind. Jack was becoming discouraged, but he decided _one last time_ even as his feet touched down at the entrance to the warlord's citadel.

“What do you want, worm?” was snarled before he had a chance to approach the door.

With a gulp, he turned to face his idol. “I . . I just wanted . . . “ he started tapping his fingers together nervously.

“Why?” Chase demanded, cutting him off. “Why do you persist in this futile pursuit?”

“I . . I . . I .” Jack couldn't seem to get his mouth to work.

Chase glared at him, “if you cannot give me one good reason for your presence here, I shall see that . . . “

“I remember it all!” Jack blurted without thinking. His eyes went wide and he slapped his hands over his mouth, trembling in fear.

Chase was suddenly in front of him staring angrily, “What do you remember?” he growled causing Jack to flinch at the very sound of his voice.

“A . . all of it. The . . the timelines. I remember all of it. Omi's tampering, ruling the world, you, what I did to . . um . . . yeah . . .” He backed away with a terrified squeak.

Chase narrowed his eyes giving the young man an appraising look. That was it, he realized, stalking around the boy, his hands behind his back. Spicer was a young man, no more the irritating boy of but a few years ago. He had matured even if he still retained some of his most irritating habits.

“If you remember it all, why have you not spoken before now?' he demanded standing in front of Spicer once more, his golden eyed glare pinning Jack to the spot.

“I . . I was told not to, not until the time was right,” he squeaked out quickly.

“And you believe this is the right time?”

“I . . I hadn't intended, it just slipped out!” Jack whined, finally breaking away from Chase's glare and staring down at the ground. “I didn't know what else to say. How to convince you . . .”

“SPICER! Who told you to remain silent?”

“You . . you won't believe me,” he stammered.

“Spicer, I will give you three sec . . .”

“It was a dream!” he whimpered, “at least I _think_ it was a dream.”

“Explain!” Chase demanded.

Jack shifted nervously.

“I woke up after the timelines were repaired. The room was dark but I knew there was someone else there. When I turned on a light, I realized it was a ghost. It told me not to talk about it, to wait and be patient. . . “

“A ghost,” Chase said with a touch of derision. “You expect me to believe a ghost told you to remain silent and you believed it?”

“YES!” Jack suddenly exclaimed angrily. “The only . . ah . . being that was ever halfway nice, the only person that ever gave me anything without demanding something in return!”

“And what was that?” Chase smirked. Spicer's outburst was interesting. He was attempting to stand up to him—perhaps there was still some potential there.

“HOPE!” Jack practically screamed hysterically.

Chase could see the anger and determination in his eyes as he walked around the youth once more. It was true, Spicer had certainly been loyal and quite patient since the timelines had returned to normal. His fighting skills had improved—somewhat. Spicer played more to his strength of cunning rather than brute force and he put more thought into his plans than before. Even his annoying machines were better. Yes, there was potential there. Certainly not as great as that of the alternate Spicer, but then that, perhaps,was for the best. Chase HAD, after all, turned on his own teacher and that was something he would not tolerate from HIS apprentice.

“I see,” he said, his mind finally made up.

Chase walked away from Jack and stood on the ledge, silhouetted against the setting sun. He stood tall and proud, his hands clasped behind his back. It took every ounce of Jack's willpower to keep his inner child under control at the sight of his idol. The last weak rays of sunlight glinted off his polished armor, seeming to create a halo around the warlord.

“Awesome,” Jack breathed quietly at the sight. He simply could not keep that comment silent.

Chase heard and smirked to himself, pleased that Spicer still retained that particular childish trait.

“SPICER!” he growled, “ get your . . .”

“Yeah, I figured,” Jack sighed, “get out.” He was already next to the warlord, his heli-bot powering up.

He yelped when Chase grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, glaring at him angrily.

“NEVER interrupt your Master again!” he snarled.

He blinked stupidly at Chase, his brain seemed to have seized up for a moment. “M . . master?” he finally squeaked.

“Yes, that is how you shall address me from this point forward. I will not tolerate disrespect from my student,” Chase smirked. The expression on Jack's face was priceless.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Jack squealed unable to control himself any longer. He somehow managed to stumble and fell in a heap at Chase's feet.

The warlord shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose wondering what he had gotten himself into. He was certain it would not be the only time.

“Spicer,” he said when Jack finally picked himself up, “as my apprentice, you will live within my fortress until further notice. You have until SUNRISE to gather your things.”

“Um . . . everything?” Jack asked cautiously.

Chase glared at him then sighed, “yes, EVERYTHING.” He snapped his fingers. A moment later a young female caracal stepped through the door. “This is Shanti. She will show you to your room and where to put the rest of your,” he paused sighing slightly, “lab. I expect that it will NOT overflow to any other part of my home.”

Jack was nodding enthusiastically, “Right, got it, no overflow, absolutely not!”

Jack was antsy now, bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other, waiting for Chase to allow him to leave.

“One last thing,” Chase said, after a long pause, “this . . . ghost. Can you describe it?”

Jack thought a moment, “she was white, I mean very light colored, with long platinum hair and ice blue eyes. Um . . . I think she wore a white yukata with . . . white embroidery. Dragons aaannnddd tigers, maybe. She had a very soft voice.”

Chase crossed his arms and bowed his head, thinking. That sounded somehow very familiar. He glanced at Jack and waved him on. He leapt into the air and sped off, only to stop a moment later.

“Oh yeah, she said you called her 'tsune,” then disappeared into the waning twilight.

“Little fox,” Chase said suddenly with a snort glancing after Spicer. Of course the most irritating woman he had ever known would take an interest in Spicer. He hummed quietly to himself as he entered his home. He hadn't thought of 'tsune in centuries. A faint giggle seemed to echo down the corridor and he paused. The sound, like the faint tinkling of bells, made him smile briefly and he wondered if he would survive the next decade or so. Things were certainly about to become . . . interesting.

 


End file.
